1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to motherboard testing procedure setting systems, and more particularly, to a system and method for setting motherboard testing procedures having a plurality of testing stations.
2. Description of Related Art
With greatly improved integration of circuit boards and electronic components, much more functionalities are being provided by computer motherboards. A motherboard is one of important components in a computer device, and the other important component, such as a central process unit (CPU), bus, memory, connecting port, storage unit and data input/output unit connected with the connecting port can be disposed on the motherboard. Further, these components are integrated by the motherboard so as to perform data processing works according to instructions.
To ensure these components are successfully disposed on the motherboard and work properly normally, the motherboard needs to pass through a variety of testing stations at different stages such that special functionalities of the motherboard can be respectively tested through different the testing stations. For example, some of the testing stations are used to test whether random access memories disposed on the motherboards work normally; some of the testing stations are used to test whether peripheral device connecting ports of the motherboard work properly; and some of the testing stations are used to test whether built-in display driver work properly.
However, testing contents of motherboards required by manufacturers can be different from those required by end users. For example, motherboard-testing procedures of manufacturers do not need to test all memory blocks, which instead only need to test beginning blocks or some part of the blocks for increasing the testing speed. Also, some testing modes are only needed by end users but are not needed by manufacturers. Accordingly, these testing modes can be skipped or concealed in testing procedures of manufacturers so as to increase the testing efficiency. In simple words, depending on different users, contents of the motherboard testing modes can be varied.
Conventional motherboard testing systems are generally combined with the BIOS and executed by the BIOS during the start-up phase. To meet demands for testing modes of manufacturers, a jumper is disposed on the motherboard such that the BIOS can execute the motherboard testing procedures required by the manufacturers during the start-up phase when the jumper is connected.
Although the above-described testing method can efficiently perform the testing procedures required by manufacturers, it has some limitations. For example, different testing modes may contain a lot of testing options performed by different testing stations in motherboard testing procedures of manufacturers. Therefore, setting the testing mode only through a jumper has limitation. Especially if the testing stations are over two, over two jumpers need to be disposed on the motherboard, which is costly and space-consuming. Moreover, different testing stations of manufacturers cannot perform the test only according to the main testing options needed by the present testing stations. Instead, they have to perform some unnecessary testing options belonging to other testing stations, thereby adversely affecting the motherboard testing efficiency.
Therefore, there is a need to develop a system and method for setting motherboard testing procedures that can set different testing modes and testing options according to different motherboard testing stations, thereby saving testing time of each testing station and increasing motherboard testing efficiency.